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This vegan pumpkin cheesecake brings the autumnal energy without requiring a fussy water bath, or being a costly, temperature-sensitive raw cheesecake nightmare thing. share a few simple tricks to keep it crack-free, so you can pull it off from scratch and have it look just like the pictures.
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Cheesecakes LOVE to fall apart under pressure, but this one holds steady. The filling sets up rich and thick, without the waxiness you sometimes get out of vegan cheesecake recipes that give you pumpkin candle vibes. If you are dealing with a full-on pumpkin spice obsession at this point in your life, rest assured that this banger is every bit as iconic a holiday staple as my vegan pumpkin chiffon pie, pumpkin crème brûlée, pumpkin donuts, or pumpkin flan.
Let it chill long enough, cut neatly, and you'll watch the whole thing vanish before you can even stash a piece for yourself. That's what happened at the last potluck we brought one to, and we were the perfect mix of happy that people loved it, and pissed there was none left for us.
Grab that springform pan and claim your bragging rights while it lasts.
Great recipe for vegans and non-vegan alike! Smooth, creamy cheesecake oozing with pumpkin flavor. Easy to make and wonderful to eat.
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🥰 Why you'll adore this Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe
✊ Vegan AF: Like all my vegan Thanksgiving recipes, this cheesecake says "screw you" to eggs, heavy cream, and animal ingredients of all kinds, yet still delivers the same lush texture and rich flavor.
🛒 Pantry-Friendly Ingredients: Everything here is easy to find in a regular grocery store, especially once the pumpkins roll in for fall. No specialty shops, no ordering things out of the back of the Sharper Image catalog.
🕒 Hands-Off Baking: You blitz, you pour, and then you let the oven do its thing. The hardest part is keeping your mitts off the oven door while it cools down.
✅ Tested and Approved Worldwide: Like all my vegan recipes, this classic pumpkin cheesecake was fine-tuned with the help of hundreds of testers from around the world.
I'm on my knees staring weirdly into your eyes, asking you in a soothing voice to be my taste-testing partner in crime. Sign up for the recipe testing crew and get early access to new recipes before they're published.
🎃 Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake Ingredients
Gingersnap cookies
Ginger snaps make a crust that's crunchy, spiced, and way less hassle than rolling dough. I've tried Mi-Del and the Whole Foods 365 ones, but I usually stick with Nabisco ginger snaps, since their originals are vegan-friendly. No luck finding those? Speculoos cookies, or Nabisco Original Grahams, or even homemade vegan ladyfingers get the job done.
Vegan butter
I'm team Earth Balance Buttery Sticks most of the time, but Trader Joe's has a decent, much more budget-friendly option too (just more annoying to measure since it isn't in measured bars). Want to DIY it? My Vegan Dairy Crash Course walks you through making your own vegan butter at home.
Pumpkin purée
Here's the deal: grab the plain stuff, not the "pumpkin pie filling" that comes preloaded with sugar, spices, and melted down airplanes, or whatever. If you can't find canned pumpkin, roasted butternut squash purée can be used in this cheesecake recipe too.
Vegan cream cheese
My ride-or-die when it comes to store-bought is Tofutti, but you can also whip up my 4-ingredient vegan cream cheese and feel happy about skipping the store aisle altogether.
Coconut cream
Can't find coconut cream? Chill a can of full-fat coconut milk and scoop the thick solidified fatty stuff from the top.
The Pumpkin Pie Spice Blend
I personally opt for Vietnamese cinnamon because it's strong, aromatic, and it's the same stuff I dust on my banh flan. Just promise me you'll use something fresher than that jar hiding in the back of your cupboard since Y2K, because stale cinnamon tastes like lightly fiery sawdust.
I rock a wee bit of nutmeg, cardamom (in the topping), and allspice to get a nice complex spiced flavor going on in this recipe.
For the ginger, I especially mess with buffalo ginger from Burlap & Barrel. It's way more fresh ginger-tasting than any other ground ginger I have tried, and I use it in my cranberry galette, pumpkin cinnamon rolls, and vegan gingerbread donuts.
The Whipped Cream
No pumpkin cheesecake slice should leave the kitchen without a snowy crown of vegan whipped cream. If you don't feel like blending up a batch, slightly thawed Cocowhip does the trick for a quick topper.
*See the recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact quantities, nutritional info, and detailed cooking directions.
📖 How to make Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake
Alright, apron on and oven preheating, because it's go time. Below you'll find the step-by-step guide to pulling off this delicious pumpkin cheesecake. If you just want the bare-bones easy-to-print version, you can hop down to the recipe card I put together for you at the end.
Step One
Grindcore:
Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Run the gingersnap cookies in a food processor for about 60 seconds until finely ground.
Step Two
Dough Cry For Me Argentina:
Add the butter and continue to process for another 60 seconds until a dough forms.
Step Three
Crust in Peace:
Press the crumbs into the bottom of a springform pan and partially up the sides. Bake for 10 minutes, then let cool.
Step Four
Purée Charles:
Meanwhile, in a food processor, blend pumpkin purée, vegan cream cheese, dairy-free coconut cream, vinegar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, molasses, and vanilla for 60 seconds until smooth.
Step Five
The Witching Flour:
Add flour and cornstarch, then blend again until no streaks remain and the batter looks uniform.
Step Six
Spready Krueger:
Pour the filling into the cooled pie crust and smooth the top with an offset spatula so it bakes evenly.
✅ Gently tap the filled pan a couple of times on the counter to release any air bubbles and to help the filling settle.
Step Seven
For Goodness Bake:
Bake vegan pumpkin cheesecake for 60-70 minutes, until the edges are set but the center still has a slight wobble.
Step Eight
Cool Runnings:
Turn off the oven, crack the door, and let the cheesecake rest inside for 30 minutes as the temp comes down gradually.
Remove from the oven and cool completely at room temperature before refrigerating for at least 6 hours, or overnight.
Step Nine
Cream of the Crop:
For the topping, stir vegan whipped cream (or Cocowhip) with cardamom and orange zest.
Step Ten
Red Dollopster:
Cut servings of the chilled cheesecake, dollop with the cardamom whipped cream, and dust lightly with cinnamon.
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👉Top tips
- Use room temperature ingredients: Make sure your vegan cream cheese (and coconut cream if solid) are soft before blending. Cold cream cheese takes longer to smooth out and you risk lumps or over-mixing while trying to get them out, which can mess up the texture.
- Monitor the "jiggle" and avoid dryness: Take the cheesecake out when the edges are set, but the center still has a little wiggle. It will continue to firm up as it cools. Over-baking leads to a dry or rubbery texture and sometimes cracks.
- How to prevent cracking: Let the cheesecake cool gradually in the oven (which is turned off) after baking for no less than 30 minutes, then finish chilling it fully in the fridge to help prevent cracks. Avoid overmixing the filling and smooth the top carefully before baking.
- Use a springform pan and line or grease well: A springform pan saves you from cheesecake demolition day. Line or grease the sides so nothing sticks and rips when you pop it out. Running a paring knife around the perimeter before opening the springform helps too.
🤷♀️ Recipe FAQs
The edges should be firm while the center still jiggles slightly when you gently shake the pan. Over-baking causes cracking and rubbery texture.
Go for a softer, full-fat vegan cream cheese that blends smooth without leaning too tart. Some brands come out runny, others too stiff, and neither will give you the set you want. Trader Joe's tends to be a bit stiff, and Daiya… let's just say it smells and tastes kinda like feet. So, unless you are trying to rock a podiatrist's dream come true, avoid that stuff at all costs.
🥶 Refrigeration:
Keep the cheesecake in a sealed container or covered with a reusable lid in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Always allow it to cool fully at room temperature before chilling to prevent condensation from softening the crust.
❄️ Freezing:
Wrap and freeze whole or sliced cheesecake in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months.
🌬 Thawing:
Move frozen cheesecake to the refrigerator and let it thaw slowly overnight. For quicker serving, let individual slices sit at room temperature for about thirty minutes before eating.
🍁You'll love these vegan Thanksgiving recipes too:
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Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake
Ingredients
Crust:
- 200 g. ginger snap cookies
- ¼ cup vegan butter
Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling:
- 15 oz. Pumpkin purée
- 3 cups vegan cream cheese
- ½ cup coconut cream
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- 1 teaspoon dried ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons molasses
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
Optional Cardamom Cream Topping:
- 2 cups coco whip
- 2 teaspoons cardamom
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C).
- Run the gingersnap cookies in a food processor for about 60 seconds until finely ground. Add the butter and continue to process for another 60 seconds until a dough forms. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake for 10 minutes, then set aside to cool.
- In a food processor, mix the pumpkin purée, cream cheese, coconut cream, vinegar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, molasses, vanilla, and salt for 60 seconds until smooth.
- Add the flour and cornstarch and continue mixing until fully combined.
- Spread the filling into the cooled crust and smooth the top with an offset spatula.
- Bake for 60-70 minutes, until the center is set but still slightly soft.
- Turn off the oven, and let the cheesecake rest inside, cooling as the oven slowly reduces in temperature for 30 minutes.
- Remove and cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or overnight before serving.
- If using the cardamom cream topping, mix together the Cocowhip, cardamom, and orange zest and dollop vegan whipped cream over the chilled cheesecake slices when portioned.
Notes
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Maggie B says
Great recipe for vegans and non-vegan alike! Smooth, creamy cheesecake oozing with pumpkin flavor. Easy to make and wonderful to eat.